The IF/THEN® Gender Representation Toolkit helps your institution collect data on the representation of gender in the images and videos displayed in your museum content, including exhibits, websites, program materials, signage, and more. These data can be used to inform changes at your museum.
ASTC analyzed data submitted by 76 science centers and museums across the United States and developed a report on the findings. Download the report, Gender Representation in Science Center and Museum Content: Findings from ASTC’s Gender Representation Toolkit, and read our blog post highlighting key takeaways.
Use the Toolkit in your museum
Using the IF/THEN® Gender Representation Toolkit will help your institution:
- Collect data on their visual representation of gender;
- Prompt conversations among staff about gender equity and support your organization’s broader diversity, accessibility, inclusion, and equity efforts; and
- Better understand how your institutions represents gender to identify areas of improvement and better determine the resources needed for growth.
- Assessment tool to collect data on gender representation at your museum
- Guides for staff sessions designed for participants to complete before and after using the tool
- Rules and definitions on using the assessment tool, including a one-page guide for data collectors
- Data collection spreadsheet to compile your team’s collected data
- FAQ section and suggestions for further reading
- A toolkit coordinator will recruit data collectors, organize training and discussion sessions for staff, and ensure data is collected and analyzed.
- Data collectors will use the assessment tool to collect data on the selected content areas. Staff members in any role and from any department may act as data collectors. You may choose to have as many data collectors participate as needed.
- A data reporter will gather data collection sheets from data collectors and enter them into a spreadsheet. The spreadsheet provided in the toolkit will provide a quick overview of the analysis of your organization’s data.
- 1–3 hours for toolkit coordinator to prepare training sessions
- 2 hours per data collector to attend training and discussion sessions
- 1–4 hours per data collector to collect data using the tool
- 1–2 hours for data reporter to enter resulting data into the spreadsheet
Download the Toolkit materials
Ready to get started using the IF/THEN® Gender Representation Toolkit in your museum? All toolkit components can be downloaded below. If you have any questions about using the toolkit, please read our FAQ and list of resources.